B Corporations are invaluable because they create high-quality jobs and improve the quality of life in our communities. Already, there are more than 500 Certified B Corps from 60 industries across nearly 40 states. Georgia now boasts six Certified B Corps (Better World Books, Freeworld Media, Gray Ghost Ventures, if People, Solution Force and Womenetics) and is considering legislation to recognize the B Corporation as a distinct legal entity.

Jay Coen Gilbert (B Lab co-founder) and members of his leadership team will be visiting Atlanta on February 7th and 8th to discuss “The Promise of the B Corporation in Georgia”. As a part of this two-day event, we are assembling individuals from Atlanta’s impact investment community to discuss the implications of the B Corporation movement – across the U.S. and here in Georgia – for the field of impact investment. This roundtable discussion will feature Kevin Jones (Good Capital and SocialCapitalMarkets) and John Hardman (Gray Ghost Ventures) and will work to the following format:

• Welcome – Peter Roberts (Goizueta Business School)
• Introductions
• The aims of B Corp vis-a-vis impact investment – Jay Coen Gilbert
• B Corp from the investor’s perspective – Kevin Jones & John Hardman
• Questions (and discussion) from around the table
• Concluding remarks from Jay, Kevin and John

This roundtable discussion will be held on Wednesday, February 8 from 2:30 to 4:00 in Room 500 of the Goizueta Business School at Emory University.

We believe that this will be an excellent opportunity for you to meet and build networks with similarly-oriented investors while learning more about this critically-important B Corporation movement. Please RSVP to Ellen Williams (ellen_williams@bus.emory.edu) to reserve your spot in what is sure to be a very interesting conversation.

The world is changing at a meteoric rate, says ING Direct CEO Arkadi Kuhlmann. No longer can organizations spend years developing new products, getting everything right the first time. Today’s leaders need to make quick decisions that maximize new possibilities as they arise. Look at ING Direct, Facebook, Apple and Google. Leaders must be both business people and artists, comfortable making innovative decisions in the face of ambiguity, and these new ways of operating must be embedded in the cultural DNA of their organizations.

Hear ING Direct CEO Arkadi Kuhlmann speak to how these leadership philosophies challenged the financial services world even as they served to drive ING Direct. Then join our conversation with Kuhlmann about how to meld culture and finance and take your work in the world to a new level.

Date: February 1, 2012
Time: Reception venue: 5:00 PM,
Online event: 6:00 PM PST, 9:00 PM EST
Location: Fort Mason’s Cowell Theater, San Francisco
Price: $35 live*, $10 online

>>> LEARN MORE AND REGISTER NOW!

When: Saturday, December 17, 2011
Where: UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center 1675 Owens Street, San Francisco, CA
RSVP BY: December 12, 2011

Please join Presidio Graduate School’s Community on Saturday, December 17th at the UCSF Mission Bay Campus for the MBA Integrative Capstone Venture Showcase presentations from the graduating students.

During this event, students completing their MBA degree requirements will present their New Venture Plans, outlining a diverse, dynamic, and engaging set of New Ventures born out of our Integrative Capstone Course.

RSVP is required! >>> Learn more and RSVP here!

FAST Global Forum 2011 is an international event addressed to all those interested in developing the effectiveness of ‘impact investment’ strategies worldwide, and those looking to explore the important role that SME finance plays in the success and growth of sustainable markets.

Through a series of inspiring speakers, panel discussion and interactive workshops, the event will focus on:

• Working together to collect and analyze strategic information to address both opportunities and challenges in sustainable SME finance.
• Sharing experiences and best practices among stakeholders to explore new strategies and tools to increase and maximize impact investment.
• Attracting more capital through new financial and agribusiness models, such as value chain finance, and other innovative SME finance tools and services.

>>>Learn more and register!

Social Media for Nonprofits is bringing together more than 500 nonprofit decision-makers and supporters to share practical tips and tools for fundraising, marketing, and advocacy.  Speakers will address a variety of topics in a series of short TED-meets-Twitter style talks, breakouts, and interactive workshops. Speakers include: Beth Kanter, Craig Newmark, founder & customer service rep at craigslist & craigconnects, Marnie Webb, TechSoup Global; Greg Baldwin, President, VolunteerMatch; Raven Brooks, Executive Director, Netroots Nation; Meg Garlinghouse, Head of Linked in for Good; Matt Mahan, VP of Social Innovation, Causes; Dave Boyce, CEO, Fundly; Darian Rodriguez Heyman, Author, Nonprofit Management 101.

Key Takeaways:

•   Actionable insights for fundraising, marketing, and advocacy

•   How to incorporate social media into your fundraising and marketing efforts

•   How to raise maximize your presence on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn

•   Lessons learned by leading nonprofit practitioners and consultants

•   Measurement, analysis, and dash boarding best practices

•   How to recruit and engage volunteers using social media

•   Incredible networking opportunity with like-minded peers

•   Free and easy-to-use platforms and resources

•   Going viral with video

Conference registration includes access to the full-day program, access to all breakouts, lunch, and entry to the evening networking reception, which is also the book release party for the new handbook, Nonprofit Management 101. Get $20 off $125 or $175 registration with code “sm4np“. Sign up at: www.socialmedia4nonprofits.org/sf